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The Global Insight

What happens when you convert a picklist into a multi select picklist

Author

William Harris

Updated on April 12, 2026

You can change custom picklists into multi-select picklists without losing any data. Since your records contain only a single value of that picklist, that value is still selected but users can select more values. You can convert relationship fields to nonrelationship fields and vice versa, but only on external objects.

What is multi-select picklist?

Multi-Picklist fields allow you to select multiple values on your records for various use cases. You have the ability to define values on creation of the field and after creation you can continue to add and remove other values.

What is a multi-select picklist in Salesforce?

Multi-Picklist fields allow you to select multiple values on your records for various use cases. You have the ability to define values on creation of the field and after creation you can continue to add and remove other values.

Can a multi-select picklist be dependent?

Multi-select picklists can be dependent picklists but not controlling fields. Custom picklist fields can be either controlling or dependent fields. Standard picklist fields can be controlling fields but not dependent fields. A controlling field can have up to 300 values.

Can you report on multi-select picklist?

While it is not currently possible to report data related to a single selection within a Multi-Select Picklist field, there are workarounds that will deliver similar results.

How do I convert a picklist to a multi-picklist in Salesforce?

To convert it, delete values first.” Option 1: Delete Picklist values to <= 150 | Change the Field Type | Re-add deleted values. Option 2: Create a New field as Multi-picklist, including all values.

Why multi select Picklists are bad Salesforce?

Dealing With Muli-Select Picklists in Formulas In formulas, the muliselect has to use contain instead of includes or equal. They are only supported in certain functions and basically it feels almost like a hack to use them in the formula if even possible due to the character limits in formulas.

How do I create a multi dependent picklist in Salesforce?

  1. From Setup, click Object Manager and select Opportunity.
  2. Select Fields & Relationships, and click New.
  3. Select Picklist (Multi-Select) as the Data Type, then click Next.
  4. Enter Close Reason as the Field Label.

How do I use multi-select picklist in Formula field salesforce?

  1. Go to the object where you want to create the field. …
  2. Click New.
  3. Select Formula for the Data Type.
  4. Name the field and select Text for the Formula Return Type.
  5. Click Next.
  6. Enter your formula syntax.
How do I make a dependent picklist?
  1. From the management settings for the object you want to add a field to, go to Fields. …
  2. Click Field Dependencies.
  3. Click New.
  4. Choose a controlling field and dependent field. …
  5. Click Continue.
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Can multi-select picklist be dependent Salesforce?

Multi-select picklists can be dependent picklists but not controlling fields. So, It can not control other fields’ value.

What is unrestricted picklist in Salesforce?

Bound unrestricted picklists have a limit of 1,000 on active picklists and a limit of 4,000 on inactive picklists. Existing unbound picklists have no limit. By default, all newly created picklists are bound to the 4,000 inactive limit.

What is the use of restricted picklist in Salesforce?

Functional Limitations for Custom Picklists A restricted picklist’s values are limited to only those values defined by a Salesforce admin, which prevents users from loading redundant or erroneous values through the API.

Can you report on a multi-select picklist Salesforce?

While it is not currently possible to report data related to a single selection within a Multi-Select Picklist field, there are workarounds that will deliver similar results.

Can you report on multi picklist in Salesforce?

It is not currently possible to utilize a Multi-Picklist field within Reporting Snapshots. This is because multi-select picklist fields may have multiple selected values, and there is no way for these values to be migrated to the child record. The only work around is to create a Formula field for every picklist option.

How do I use global picklist value set in Salesforce?

  1. From Setup, enter Picklist in the Quick Find box, then select Picklist Value Sets.
  2. Next to Global Value Sets, click New.
  3. Enter a label for the global value set. …
  4. To tell users what these values are for, enter a specific description of the global value set. …
  5. Enter the values, one per line.

Is a multi select picklist field multi select picklist fields are only supported in certain functions?

Multi-select picklist fields can only be used in the following functions: INCLUDES. ISBLANK. ISNULL.

What is a salesforce picklist?

Picklists are used in Salesforce to capture static data and define a list wherein users can select via accessing a drop-down menu. Picklists can be either global or custom in nature. This post will teach Salesforce users how to define custom picklist fields.

How do you get multi select picklist values in lightning component?

We can use lightning:dualListbox component to show multi select picklist field values. lightning:dualListbox component represents two side-by-side list boxes. Select one or more options in the list on the left. Move selected options to the list on the right.

How do I convert a picklist value to text in Salesforce?

TEXT() converts a picklist value to a Text value in the master language of your organization, not the language of the current user. After a picklist value has been converted to a Text value, you can use Text functions, such as BEGINS() and CONTAINS(), on it.

How do I check if a picklist is empty in Salesforce?

For Picklist field, we can use TEXT() function before ISBLANK(), example: ISBLANK( TEXT(Ini_Picklist__c) ) or ISPICKVAL(Ini_Picklist__c, “”).

What is a dependent pick list?

A dependent picklist is a custom or multi-select picklist for which the valid values depend on the value of another field, called the controlling field . Controlling fields can be any picklist (with at least one and fewer than 300 values) or checkbox field on the same record.

How do I mass delete picklist values in Salesforce?

This is done by selecting an area on the web page via right click. If you select multiple “Del” links then this will address your need. It will only work if most of the values are on the same page but is still a time saver.

What is a dependent field in Salesforce?

Field Dependencies in Salesforce are the filters that allow user to change the contents of a picklist based on the value of another field. Example :- Here there are two field called Country and State. We have to display all states that are related to Country Field.

How can we make field dependent on another field?

  1. Right-click the field label in the form and select Configure Dictionary.
  2. In the Dependent field, enter the name of the field that this field will depend on.
  3. Click Update when done. In the example below, the “subcategory” field is made dependent on “category”.

How do you deploy picklist values in copado?

  1. Select the CustomField metadata type and select the custom Picklist field by its API Name. …
  2. Select the RecordType metadata type and select the record type name. …
  3. Select the associated Profiles and/or Permission Sets.

How do I deploy a field dependency in Salesforce using Vscode?

  1. Go to Setup – Deploy – Outbound Change Sets.
  2. Create new Change Set, type a Name and Description, always add description on what will be add into this change set.
  3. In the Change Set Components, look for Custom Field.

How do I create a dependent picklist in Salesforce lightning?

  1. Step 1 – Create a Lightning Web Component and name it GenericDependentPicklist.
  2. Step 2 – Test the Pick-list.
  3. object-api-name : – is used to get the Object API Name. …
  4. dependent-picklist-api-name :- The API name for the dependent picklist field.

Can a checkbox as controlling field?

Checkbox fields can be controlling fields but not dependent fields. When you convert existing fields to dependent picklists or controlling fields, it doesn’t affect the existing values in your records. … Field-level security settings for a controlling field and dependent picklist are independent.

How many inactive Picklists are in Salesforce?

By default, all new picklists have an enforced limit of 4,000 on inactive values for unrestricted picklist fields.

How do I disable restrict picklist values in Salesforce?

  1. Select Setup | Customize.
  2. Select the object containing the picklist, then select Record Types.
  3. Click the name of the record type that contains the picklist.
  4. On the picklist of your choice, click Edit.
  5. In the ‘Default’ field, select –None–.
  6. Click Save.